Concordia St. Paul News

A year of internship experience is built into many of Concordia’s church work programs. We recently caught up with a group of CSP interns to see where they’re from, where they’re at, and to get a peek at the wide spectrum of their experiences.

Bethany Brandvold

“I’ve been learning about the environment of a new church plant. I work with a lot of young families and the elderly. My main focus lately has been lifting up volunteers into leadership positions, allowing me to facilitate the growth of individuals. My congregation is made up of very loving individuals who are accepting of all people, and who work to be Good Samaritans to all who they encounter.”

Phillip Brandvold

“Really, this internship allows me to be a lifespan educator at this church, teaching the faith from preschool to retirement. My responsibilites range from leading the youth group and young adult ministries to helping with Sunday School and leading adult Bible study.”

Brittany Arlow

Hometown: Palmer, AlaskaInternship: Plant City, Florida

“In my regular DCE internship duties, I teach Sunday school and lead Bible study for the middle and high school youth, lead Children’s Messages, write newsletter articles and reports, plan for district wide youth events. I’ve also been able to reach out to the Hispanic people of Plant City through the Spanish Mission House, serve at the local food bank, and help provide for the homeless community.

I’ve already had many memorable events during my internship, but the Florida beach has stuck out the most: I started things off by getting VERY sunburnt the day before my Induction Ceremony… I looked like a lobster in front of the entire congregation when I was first introduced! I also took my youth to the beach for an event and a bunch of them got stung by jellyfish!”

Chris Zemple

Hometown: Sullivan, WisconsinInternship: Trinity First in Minneapolis and Hospitality Center for Chinese in St. Paul

“I’ve had the opportunity to see so many different cultures here in the Twin Cities. I work with students from China and others from a very diverse area in the Phillips community. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to have patience and just listen. The Lord has given me many opportunities to share my faith, and all I do is be a friend and listen.”

Alex Wright

“Yankton is the smallest place I have ever lived. I am learning to adjust to a smaller town setting and how that affects the different ministry areas of the church. I work with two pastors at the church and I do a wide variety of teaching that covers all age groups.”

Anna Dauffenbach

“My internships gives me the opportunity to work both with senior high youth as well as Redeemer’s campus ministry for Northern Michigan University. I lead Bible studies, organize events, assist in teaching Confirmation, work with different children’s ministries, and add a helping hand whenever and wherever I can.”

Anna Reincke

“My internship site is an organization that shares the love of Christ with different native tribes among the remote areas of the Pacific Coast in B.C. While in these communities, we seek to share His love by building relationships and serving others, as Christ taught us to do throughout Scripture. During my time here, I’ve been stretched by the grace of God to do ministry in this cross-cultural setting while developing professional skills in a non-profit organizational setting.”

Contact Concordia

Accreditation

Concordia University, St. Paul is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. Concordia University, St. Paul has been accredited since 1967, with reaccreditation given in 2008.